Lantern in a Storm
by Ash Gray Kitsune
Summary: Hurricane Sandy is hitting New York, and darkness falls...but there's always a light in the darkness. Especially when Tony Stark's around.


**Title: Lantern in the Storm**

**Author: Ash Gray Kitsune**

**Pairing: Tony and his tech.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Avengers.**

**Summary: The storm's bearing down and the world's in need of a little light.**

The rain lashed at the windows, wind howling around the Tower's high floors, shaking the enormous building down to its core, where almost a thousand people huddled in the building's massive subfloor, most of them the homeless and evacuees who couldn't get to the shelters fast enough, and who'd been herded inside by the superheroes who called the place home. Steve walked through the huddles of people and was handing out warm drinks and snacks; across the way, Thor, Clint, and Natasha were doing the same thing, murmuring soft words of comfort as Jarvis played a variety of Disney movies to sooth everyone's nerves.

The storm hadn't even quite hit New York yet, not technically. Bruce and Tony were upstairs in the labs, tracking every thing they could and keeping up live relays to the other shelters, trying to pinpoint just when Hurricane Sandy would hit. Fury was at the largest of the shelters, keeping the agents busy while they tried to restore lines of communication and supply. Steve glanced up as Natasha brushed his sleeve, her eyes dark and tired, red hair pulled back.

"We've got everyone settled for now, but Tony just informed me that he's going to have to shut down all the lights at the Tower." Steve jerked back, hissing a little.

"What, why?" She sighed and rubbed one eye.

"He says that the lighting is drawing too much energy from the reactor that will have to be used to route to the two hospitals; he can keep the heating steady and some emergancy lighting, as well as one computer in the lab, but that's all. Bruce is going to stay up there and keep an eye out...I don't know what Stark's planning..." Just then, all the lights died, though true to his word, the heating stayed on. That, however, didn't matter, as several hundred people screamed and started to shift, and Steve felt an instinctual panic. _We can't handle a mob..._

"Hey hey hey! What's with the panicking, people?" Tony's familiar, jaunty voice rang out over the crowd, and everyone seemed to settle, eyes focused on the brilliant blue glow that beamed out of his chest. He must have cut a hole in his shirt, because there was absolutely nothing hiding the reactor from the crowd of people, and Steve felt his heart settle. The blue glow filled the room; not enough to actually read by, but it was soothing and Tony pulled out one of his rolling stools from the workshop, seating himself on it and grinning. "See, nothing to be afraid of."

"Why'd the lights go out?" A scared-sounding young man, and Tony nodded to him, eyes calm.

"Because I had to reroute the energy we were using for the lights to the two hospitals hooked to the arc reactor below your feet. We were burning through too much juice, so for the night, we're going to have to tough it out."

"But, what about your chest?" A little girl this time, and Tony gave her a brilliant smile, the kind he only shared, usually, with the Avengers, Pepper, and Rhodey.

"Excellent question, sweetheart. The little reactor in my chest is actually going to power us through the night." He stood up and pulled a huge old box over, flipping off the lid to reveal something that looked vaguely like...an old storm lantern. And there were about fifty of them, if what he was counting was right. "Steve, Thor, Clint; need you guys to help put these up around the room. Hook them wherever; Tasha, can you run the lines from them? I need to set up the adapter." A little curious, the four did as they were asked, and soon others were helping, dangling the lanterns from hooks and bars on the ceiling as long wires were run along the surface of the concrete above, taped down with yards of black gaffer's tape, and all of them hooked to an odd little harness that Tony was carefully putting together.

As he finished the last of the wiring, and Thor settled the last lantern on the hook, Tony smiled...and Steve felt his breath seize in his chest as Tony Stark placed a hand on his reactor, twisted, and gently pulled the glowing piece out of his chest. It was...a surreal sight; he looked so calm, so serene as he pulled the adaptor over the reactor, settling it against his chest before slowly pushing the glowing creation back in, spinning it slowly to stop with a resounding _click_...and the lanterns came to life, golden light filling every corner of the room. Steve let out the breath he was holding, a smile touching his eyes as he peered around, everyone calming down at the surge of brilliant light.

"Stark, that is impressive..." Natasha murmured, leaning down to examine the adapter. Tony just shrugged, and tossed Steve a knowing smile.

"Sometimes all you need is a lantern in a storm."

**Pure fucking fluff. For ShadowHaloedAngel.**


End file.
